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Here is some information about the care of chinchillas. The information here is not a subsitute for a vet and no breeding information is here. For more information, visit the "Links" Page. I know there is alot to read, but its worth it!
Chinchillas make excellent pets for the right person. If you’re the kind of person who works during the day and comes home in the evening, then you’re a candidate for owning a chinchilla. Chinchillas are nocturnal and come out during the day. Young impatient children don’t make good chinchilla owners. Children tend to want to play with the chinchillas during the day and don’t understand that these guys need to sleep during the day. Chinchillas are very social animals, so try to get more than one. If you can’t get more than one, give it as much attention as possible. Chinnies really enjoy human companionship and they will form a bond with you that can never be broken.
Chinchillas are active and agile creatures that just want to be apart of your life. No, they are not like dogs and cats. These guys don’t really like to be petted thus making them not good pets for children. They do like a simple brushing here and then and to just hang out on your shoulder. Some chinchillas like to get scratches under their chins and behind their ears. My chinchilla loves that!
Some chinchillas are capable of learning simple tricks. In order to teach your chin, you have to be VERY patient. Chinchillas are smart animals and they do what they want to do and you can’t make them do anything. I got my chinchilla to give kisses and touch his nose, both on command.
Chinchillas can be fun pets. They’re fun to talk about when people don’t know what they are and it’s a good feeling when you introduce your chin to a person who has never even seen or heard of chinchillas. Chins can run around your room (If its “Chin Proof”) and some can even be trained to make friends with the other animals in the household.
~*~Buying a Chinchilla~*~
Glad to see that you are going to buy a chinchilla. Remember these guys are a big commitment and here are some questions you should ask yourself:
· Where will I live in a couple of years?
· Will I go to college?
· Will I move in a “No Pets” apartment?
· Will I live somewhere that has a hot climate?
Now that you’ve answered these questions and are ready to move on, you are ready to pick out a chinchilla of your very own.
When choosing a chinchilla, it’s best to get one that is well handled and socialized. Chinchillas are only half domesticated so the more socialization, the better you are off. If there are multiple chinchillas where you are buying your, be sure to handle all of them and the rest is up to the chinchilla. The chinnie that stays in your arms the calmest is the right one for you. Some good places to check out to get a chin is your local animal shelter. I suggest that you check there before any other place. If they don’t have chinchillas up for adoption, you can find a breeder, go to a pet store, or even check out the local newspaper.
Chinchillas are quite expensive pets. Their prices can by $75 and up. All depending on gender, color, and if it’s show material. The standard gray chinchilla is the cheapest and most common color chinchilla to buy. Other chinchilla colors available are:
· Beige
· Charcoal
· Black Velvet
· White
· Albino
· Violet
· Ebony
· Standard White
· Brown Velvet
Female and male chinchillas both make great pets, but females tend to be much larger than males.
Before you finally purchase your new friend, make sure it comes with a guarantee of some kind. This states that the animal is healthy. When I got my chinchilla, the pet store gave me a free vet visit and if the chinchilla had any problems they would pay for the vet costs or give me another chinchilla that’s in better condition. Remember; get all the food, cage, cage accessories, etc. ready BEFORE you bring your furry friend home.
~*~General Care~*~
Okay, so now that you’ve picked out your chin, its time to get everything ready. These next couple of paragraphs will tell you what materials you need to care for your chin and how to pamper it like a king and/or queen. Some basic supplies you will need are: chinchilla food, chew sticks, chinchilla chew block, water bottle, chinchilla dust, raisins, and some treats.
Chinchillas don’t really like the heat and can easily get heat stroke. During the summer time, you can freeze your chinchillas’ raisins and then give it to them. This provides a cool chinchilla treat. Another way to keep your chinchilla cool is to put granite 12 x 12 tile in the freezer. When the weather is really hot, just put it in the chin’s cage. The chinchilla will rest on it to keep cool.
Let me put this in a simple way. Get the biggest chinchilla cage that you can afford, the bigger the better. If you can’t afford a decent size cage, I suggest that you don’t get a chinchilla. These guys are very active.
When getting a cage, keep in mind that chinchillas don’t climb, they jump. A large ferret cage will be perfect. There are some special chinchilla cages available, but they are more expensive. I got my chinchilla a nice size ferret cage and it cost me almost $200!
Make sure the cage can be used for chinchillas and has a couple of shelves and ramps. One-floored rabbit and guinea pig cages aren’t good home for your furry friend. They may be cheaper but your chin wouldn’t be happy and an unhappy chin can lead to health problems. You can be like me and start off with a cheap cage with one ramp and after a couple of months, get a big cage that should last for the rest of your chinchilla’s life. Another thing is if you choose to get more than one chin, your going to need a HUGE cage! If you can only afford the minimum size cage, let your chinchilla run around a room everyday. Be sure your chinchilla’s cage has a little sleep house. This way, your chin can have a place to just get away from it all.
You are probably thinking, “What in the world do I feed this kind of animal?” Fortunately, there are commercial foods available at your local pet store. I order Mazuri Chinchilla Feed from Chinworld. 10Lbs. of it cost me about $16.00 including shipping. Some people say that if you can’t find chinchilla food, you can give your pet guinea pig or rabbit food. This is NOT TRUE. Feeding your chinnie this can cause health problems. You can order chinchilla food on the internet. A good healthy diet to give your chin consists of hay , pellets, water, and supplements, which include fresh treats. Its best to feed your chin around 6:00 or 7:00, that way when your chin wakes up, he’s ready to eat. There are some foods that can harm your chinchilla such as: kiwi, oranges, and other acidic fruits. Always contact a vet before you give a fruit or vegetable to your chinchilla. This way, you can see if it’s safe or not. Good treats to give your chin are bananas and raw carrots.
Chinchillas absolutely love raisins. A few raisins here and there will make your chinchilla very grateful, but remember, don’t give more than three raisins every few days! Timothy hay and Alfalfa hay are a good source of fiber for your chin and should be supplied everyday and then replace the old hay with new hay by the end of the day. Before giving your chinchilla hay, make sure it’s fresh and not moist. Good timothy hay should smell like tobacco. Never put your chinchilla’s treats in its dinner bowl. The chinchilla will only eat the treats and not his dinner.
Chinchillas don’t drink a lot of water, but it's very important to give them fresh water everyday. You can supply their water in food dish or a water bottle. Water bottles work best because it won’t tip over and spill. Chins hate the water and water is bad for their fur. Also, make sure the water bottle is made from glass or you have a water bottle protecter to prevent the water bottle from being damaged.
Chinchillas do require a little grooming here and there. These guys shed a lot! A regular dog or rabbit brush makes a great brushing tool. Brushing your chinchilla will make their fur soft and shiny. Be sure to clean the brush after each use. Be prepared for a lot of hair!
Chins don’t need to be bathed in water, but instead they bath in dust. Not just any dust, there are special chinchilla dust available. There are also “chinchilla dust houses” too. Only bathe your chin about three times a week. Each bath should last about five minutes. Too much or too little bathing can damage their fur. Some people just have a jar, fill it up with dust, and then lay it on its side in the chinchilla’s cage. I don’t really like that idea. Instead, I have a cat litter box and filled it with about two inches of chinchilla dust. I just let my chinchilla bath in that and then I out him back in his cage.
Be sure to clean the bathhouse and change the dust about once every 3 weeks and refresh and take out the poops after each use.
Smaller cages are easier to clean than the bigger cages. If you have a small cage, just scrub the bottom with some soap and a sponge. If you have a big cage, I suggest that you take it out with the house outside and give it a nice cleaning about once a month. The cage should be cleaned at least one a week. If you have ramps and shelves in the cage like mine, just clean them in the bathtub with soap and water. The cleaner the cage, the happier and healthier your chinchilla will be.
Between cleanings, you should buy a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner and just vacuum the shelves every day. Always wash your pet’s food dish and water bottles everyday. Toys such as tunnels etc. should also be cleaned. At least once a month, be sure to disinfect the cage and let it dry completely before putting your furry friend in and make sure all the soap is gone.
Once you have finished cleaning the cage, its time to put bedding in. NEVER use cedar bedding or bedding that contains traces or cedar. If your pet eats the cedar woodchips, it can be deadly. Pine bedding is good but it’s not the best. Newspaper is good to, but the prints can stain the bottom of your chin’s feet and fur. To me, the best litter in the market today is the cat litter made from recycled newspaper. Its compressed recycled newspaper shaped in the form of pellets. This litter is great for you chin and great for the environment! The only downside is that some people have found mites in this litter so be careful.
Because chinchillas are only half domesticated, socialization is a must. When you get you chin, let it be alone in its cage for 24 hours. After that time, you can start to tame it. I will talk to you about taming in the next paragraph. Once your chinchilla is already tame, spend as much time with it as possible. Let it sit on your shoulder or even brush your chin’s hair. Also, you should let everyone hold and play with your new pet because your chinchilla can be use to human interactions.
The next day after you bring your chinchilla home, you should try feeding a raisin to your chinchilla through the cage bars. Once the chinchilla eats from your hands, your one step closer to its trust. After that you can try to touch it while its still in the cage. Try giving it a few scratches. You are now on your way of wining your chinchilla’s trust. Once you have your chinnie’s trust, you have now just entered your chinchilla’s circle and you’ll have a bond with it that can never be broken.
~*~Health~*~
Chinchillas, just like any other animal, do get sick. It’s always better to prevent or reduce the chances of your furry friend getting sick than to cure one.
The first step in having a healthy chin is to find a veterinarian that takes care of chinchillas. You should also allow your chinnie to rest during the day and ensure the water, food, and hay is fresh. Check the poops. Yes, you do have to check your chinchilla’s poops. Make sure they are dark, opaque, hard, and odorless. You should clean the cage and all accessories regularly and give treats in small quantities. Also avoid frequent changes in environment and in food. For more information on chinchilla health, please visit http://www.chincare.com
~*~ Playtime~*~
Like any other kind of animal, chinchillas love to play. They love to run around a room and just have fun. Having fun does require a few rules. Whenever you take your chinchilla out of its cage, be sure it’s tame and trusts you. Otherwise, you won’t be able to catch it. Its best to play with your chinchilla at night when it’s fully awake. Here are the rules before and during your chin’s playtime:
· Make sure the room is “Chin Proof” (more information on this in the next paragraph)
· Have a paper on the door that states the chinchilla is roaming free in the room
· NEVER chase your chinchilla. This will cause it to lose trust in you and you will have to start the taming process over again.
· Make sure playtime isn’t a long time. The chinchilla can get hot and possibly get heat stroke. Make each play session about 15 minutes long.
· Tell everyone is the room to sit still and don’t roam around. This will prevent your chinchilla from being squished. Remember, Have Fun!
Chin proofing a room is a lot like baby proofing a house. You have to get down on your knees and have the mind of a chinchilla. Cover any loose wires with wire covers and on case your thinking of using bitter spray, it doesn’t work. Chinchillas actually like the taste of bitter. Make sure any large objects that can be tipped over easily are removed from the room. Be sure to cover every nook and cranny that you can find. Chinchillas can find even the smallest hole to hide in. If there’s a bed and or furniture in the room, try to find a way to cover the bottoms, that way your chinchilla can’t go under them and possibly get hurt.
An ideal “chin proof” room would be an empty bedroom or a room with out much furniture and no wiring what so ever. You can let your chinchilla run around in a bathroom, but there are safer places for your chin to run. If you have an empty long hallway in your house, block it off with a sturdy piece of wood. This is a great place to have your chinchilla run. It’ll be like a dog run for your chinnie.
In your “chin proof” room, be sure to add toys and treats. Your chinchilla will keep you very entertained. Chinchillas will so something called a “wall climb” and they’ll jump really high on the walls. It’s really fun to watch a chin just doing its thing.
You should never leave your chinchilla unattended with another animal in the household. Dogs and cats can cause a lot of stress to a Chinchilla. My dog and chinchilla are nice to each other because when my dog was a puppy, I introduced
him to my chinchilla. Chinchillas accept guinea pigs as a housemate in the same cage because of their natural range in
the wild. The guinea pig will provide no competition for the chinchilla. I wouldn’t suggest housing them together, but they can play together. If your looking for a friend for your chinchilla, I suggest that you be its friend or
get another chinchilla.
~*~While Your Away~*~
Arrange in advance for a person who could watch your chinchilla. Never take a chinchilla on vacation with you because of all the stress it gives your chinchilla. When I moved from Virginia to Texas, I had to bring Chinchi, but the only way to bring him was by care. I kept him as stress free as possible. I even let him run around in the hotel!
If your going on a short vacation, find reliable person to come in and feed and give water to your chinchilla. It has to be a person that your chinchilla trusts so they could take him out of his cage.
On longer absences, have the pet sitter come to your house to feed and give water to your furry friend. This prevents unwanted stress. Be sure that the pet sitter knows how to handle and car for your pets. If its an emergency and the chinchilla cage has to go to the pet sitter’s house, let it be and try to make it a stress free move.
~*~Behavior~*~
As you observe your chinchilla each day, he reacts differently to situations. For a close relationship understand what your chinchilla is trying to tell you.
Test Bite- this is an action your chinchilla does to see if something is edible. It doesn’t hurt but most people don’t like it.
Curiosity- Chinchillas are very curious and will test bite everything that can get their little paws on.
Eating Food- Chinchillas eat their food by using their cute little hands.
Defense- Chinchillas defend themselves by spraying urine or if something grabs onto their fur, the predator will end up with a mouthful of chinchilla fur.
Anxiety- If a chinchilla has this, it hides in a corner of the cage.
Jumping- Chinchillas love to jump with their powerful hind legs
Sitting up- The chinchilla will do this if it thinks there is trouble, its curious,or if its just trying to get something.
Contact-- A new member will first be sniffed. If the resident chinchilla doesn’t like the newcomer, they will fight.
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